


Rise to Godhood

by Kai_Maciel



Category: Thor (Comics)
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Adoption, Gen, Jötunn Loki, Kid Loki, Kid Loki and Kid Thor, Kid Thor, Loki Feels, Transformation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-03
Updated: 2013-07-07
Packaged: 2017-12-13 21:07:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/828901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kai_Maciel/pseuds/Kai_Maciel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After killing Laufey, Odin found his hidden son, a small Asgardian-sized child. On his return to Asgard, he shocks his family and people by announcing that he's going to raise the Jotun child as his own son. However, in order to stay, Loki must be turned into an Aesir God, a painful transformation that could be fatal. Also, how can Thor accept a Jotun as his brother?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Jotun Child

Everything happened the way the sorcerer told him.

After Laufey had been killed by Odin, the young Jotun child ran towards his father's corpse, crying as he was told to do. After that, and still following the sorcerer's advice, the child tried to attack Odin, only to be swiftly kicked to the side by other Asgardian.

When one of Odin's warriors was about to kill him, the boy thought that he had made a terrible mistake and that he should have stayed hidden in the ice, like he had always been. However, to his surprise, the All-Father ordered his warrior to stop and told him that they were going to take the boy with them, much to their dismay.

Thus, the young Frost Giant left Jotunheim and marched along the All-Father's horse towards the glorious land known as Asgard.

The boy's red eyes avoided looking at Odin or his warriors. He didn't know how to act from now on, the sorcerer never told him what was going to happen next. He had been told of a way to leave Jotunheim forever and escape his cruel peers and his abusive and hated father, so he took it.

All his young life, the boy had known nothing but hatred and violence. His father hated him so deeply that he had hidden him away, ashamed that his first-born child had been born a runt. His mother never intervened; she hated the boy almost as much as Laufey because she had been brutally punished for bringing  _"such a pathetic creature"_  to the world. Therefore, she gladly never saw her son again.

The boy was an outrage in the Jotuns' eyes, small, weak and with no fighting skills whatsoever. He had no future with the Frost Giants. Sooner or later, was going to be killed by his own people and his small bones were going to become another Jotun's necklace, like his father liked to remind him.

The child had faked his love, tears and anger for his father's death, the father who had refused to name him. He hated his own father as much as Laufey had hated him. When the sorcerer told him of a way to escape, he went through his plan without thinking. A life with the Aesir couldn't be worse than the frozen hell he was used to.

At least, he hoped it would be better. They had travelled for hours and his feet were killing him, but nobody said anything about what Odin was going to him. He faked his love for Laufey because the sorcerer told him the All-Father valued family loyalty and, despite his ridiculous small size, he was still the son of a King killed in honorable battle. It had to mean something!

"You have been silent for a long time, boy" the All-Father said suddenly, surprising the Jotun.

The child looked at the King of Asgard, but quickly lowered his eyes. The truth was that he was terrified. The hatred between Asgard and Jotunheim were as old as time itself. What could they possibly want from him? A hostage? A pet?

"Don't you have anything to say?" Odin went on.

The young Jotun felt his mouth dry and remembered the many times his father had beaten him because he had opened his mouth so easily. But the All-Father looked like he wanted to talk, so maybe he should answer him.

"A prisoner should be quiet. I don't wish to anger the Lord of Asgard" the child said, his fearful red eyes facing the king his people had cursed for centuries.

Surprisingly, Odin chuckled and the boy couldn't help but frown in confusion. Did he say something stupid?

"Your words are wise, child" the All-Father said smiling, he seemed amused. "How old are you?"

The Jotun was so surprised that the King of Asgard was talking to him, that he almost tripped over a rock.

"Five winters, King Odin" he said.

Odin's single eye widened. "Is that so? I thought you were younger. You look small for a Giant's offspring."

The boy felt the familiar ache of shame and fear running through his body. His small size had been his curse and no amount of cleverness could make it better in his people's eyes.

"I meant no disrespect, boy" Odin said quickly, seeing the Jotun's sad expression. "I've battled Frost Giants for ages and I've only seen your tallest warriors."

The boy shook his head. "I am… unusually small. I wasn't blessed with the right body for a Giant."

Odin's horse slowed down and he stared once more at the young boy. He could be small for a Frost Giant, but his height was completely normal for an Asgardian. He also talked very eloquently, which was something he never saw a Jotun do aside from Laufey in his war speeches. The boy talked better than Thor despite being taught by the best scholars and being two years older than him.

Suddenly, the king's mind began racing. Could he do it? Was this boy the answer to appease his father's spirit? The wandering, snow ghost that he never saved because he knew he would never follow his own dreams if he was around?

" _Take the child of a fallen king and raise him as your own"_  Bor had said.  _"Do this and I will bother you no more, son of mine."_

The Jotun felt Odin's eye piercing through him and he shivered at the thought that maybe he could be reading his mind. The All-Father was known in all realms for his unbelievable powers, he could do all sorts of magic and sorcery. If he saw that the boy had been lying, he would crush his skull in a heartbeat.

Odin suddenly stopped his horse, forcing the child to stop walking as well. He felt his legs trembling with fear as the Asgardian King jumped from his white steed and moved towards him with a solemn gaze.

" _This is it! He found out"_  the child though, petrified.  _"He is going to kill me for what I did. I don't want to die… Please, I don't want to die."_

The Jotun closed his eyes and waited for the pain, but it never came. Instead, he felt something odd and warm in his head. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Odin kneeled in front of him, stroking his cold and bare head with his giant hand.

The boy gaped, too shocked to say anything or flee. No one had ever touched him except to cause him harm or to push him out of the way. He had never known care in his young life and yet…

"What is your name, child?" the King of Asgard asked kindly.

"I… I… I was to be named after Utgard-Loki, one of our ancestors" the boy mumbled, shocked, confused and ashamed. He had no name. His father had hated him so deeply that he didn't even deserve a name.

"Aye, I've heard about him" Odin said. "His strength was famous through all the Nine Realms. Why do say you were to be named?"

The Jotun child lowered his head, tears behind his red eyes. "Father said I was unworthy of that name."

Odin's expression softened and his heart ached with pity for the small child. A king's offspring reflected his power and virility. Like most kings, Laufey was very proud and his son's small size must have brought him a lot of shame, but to the point of not giving him a name? Even pets and objects had the right to a name.

This poor, nameless boy didn't belong in Jotunheim, Odin realized. There was nothing for him in this frozen place but death.

"Every child is worthy of a name" the All-Father said with a smile and pulling the boy's chin so he could face him. "Yes, you lack the physique of a Frost Giant warrior, but you have a good head on your shoulders and knowledge beyond your young age" the Jotun child's widened even more when Odin picked him up softly and sat him in front of him, in his horse. "I am aware that I took your father from you today, but I hope that in time you can find a place in your heart to forgive me."

"I don't… understand" as the horse started walking again, the baffled child could only stare at Odin in both awe and confusion. "Why are you asking for my forgiveness, Lord Odin? Why are you being so kind to a prisoner?"

"You are no prisoner, boy" Odin said with a laugh. "In fact, I believe that it's about time for you to have a name, yes? I don't wish to call you  _boy_ forever."

"A name? Will you name  _me?_ " the Jotun asked, increasingly surprised by this turn of events. He couldn't understand. He was nobody, a runt, an embarrassment to his Father and his people and the King of Asgard going to name him and take him?

Odin looked in deep thought for a moment, thought completely aware of the child staring at him in his lap. Finally, the Asgardian looked at young Jotun with a smile.

" _Loki_ … Yes, I believe your father's first choice was a good one" Odin said. "I shall name you Loki."

"Loki" the child murmured quietly, the name sounding strange in his tongue. His name. He finally had a name. Odin, the King of Asgard, had named him.

As hours went by and the snow started to disappear, Loki finally allowed himself to lean against Odin's warm body, staring at him from time to time, his eyes filled with wonder and admiration for the glorious King who had taken him from the dark ice. In that moment, all he wanted was to make him proud.

Loki wondered if what he was feeling was the sentiment known as love.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you are wondering, the Sorcerer was actually future-Loki who travelled into the past to arrange his own adoption. This happened in the comics along with Bor, Odin's father, turning into snow (again, Future-Loki's doing). Having Odin naming Loki, that was me though.
> 
> I've checked. In the comics, when Loki is taken to Asgard, he's still in his Jotun form.
> 
> Next chapter: meeting Thor. Do you think he was pleased to see his father return from Jotunheim with a kid Jotun? Or that he was going to be his brother from now on?
> 
> Thanks for reading.


	2. Unthinkable

Loki woke up the moment they passed through the Bifrost. His eyes hurt with the blinding light and it took him a few minutes to get used to it. When he did, the Jotun child saw Asgard for the first time.

It was more glorious than he imagined. The city seemed to be made of gold and crystal, the sky was very blue and the sun shone brightly. Loki heard about the sun, but had never seen it in a land of constant snow. He felt hot for the first time and wondered how the Asgardians could stand the heat with those armors.

"Oh! You've awaken, Loki" Odin said, shocking the sleepy child upon hearing his new name. He would have to get used to it. "Welcome to my home, Asgard."

The boy nodded and moved away from the king. He couldn't believe he had actually fallen asleep leaning against Odin! Or that he was in Asgard. Everything looked so glorious and beautiful that he understood the reason the Frost Giants had fought for it for centuries. This land made Jotunheim look like a primitive society created by brutes, which, truthfully, it was.

The moment they entered the city, Odin approached a man standing by the bridge. He looked like a guard but more… important.

"My King" the Guard said, bowing. "I welcome you back from battle."

"It was a good victory but I'm sure you've seen it already, Heimdall" Odin answered.

"Aye, I have" Heimdall said, standing up and his head moved towards the child on Odin's lap.

Loki tried not to shiver as he felt the guard's gaze. What was scarier was that he couldn't see his eyes under the helmet, but he still felt that the man wasn't pleased with his presence.

"Your people await you, My Lord" Heimdall finally said before stepping aside to let their horse pass.

Loki was only able to relax when the guard disappeared from their sight. He had the feeling that he could see right through him.

"That was Heimdall, Guardian of the Bifrost" Odin explained the boy. "He is called the All-seeing and the All-hearing, because it is said that he can see and hear as far as creation."

The child blinked. "Does that mean… that he can see and hear everything? Anywhere?"

Instead of answering, Odin chuckled. "Let's go. We need to reach the castle."

Loki was about to ask what was going to happen to him once they were in the castle, but ultimately decided to stay silent and not push his luck. The All-Father had been kind to him up until now, but that wouldn't last. He knew. Riding the King of Asgard's horse didn't make him less of a prisoner, which he was sure he was. Odin would probably lock him up like a stolen relic until he found the proper use for him.

The Jotun's unease increased when he heard the cheers. The Asgardians had come to greet their King and warriors, yelling their names and crying with joy. When Odin waved to his people, they went wild. Asgard was welcoming their heroes.

The curiosity was too much for Loki and he peeked through Odin's arms. Everyone looked so stunning, well dressed and well fed, unlike the Jotuns. The Asgardians probably didn't even know what hunger was after living in luxury for so many centuries.

When they passed by a woman, her eyes finally met Loki's face and her smile faded into confusion and then worry. As more people noticed him, they started talking with each other with concern and horror that there was a little Jotun in their King's horse.

Loki curled up against Odin, trying to hide. As he imagined the crowd grabbing him and tearing him apart in a fit of rage, the boy covered his face with his hands and chocked a sob, trying not to burst into tears of fear.

"Easy, Loki" Odin said, still waving to the crowd. "No harm will come to you."

The boy took his hands from his face, but remained hidden and quiet. As they travelled slowly towards the castle, Loki couldn't help but feel increasingly out of place. He felt inapt in Jotunheim, but at least they were the same species, but here… he was nothing. Worse, he was plain hideous.

" _Everything and everyone is so beautiful"_  the boy thought sadly, looking at his filthy clothing and his blue hands and arms.  _"I'm not…"_

* * *

After going through the awkward experience of letting two terrified attendants dress him with an oversized robe, which made the Jotun feel even hotter than he already was, he followed Odin closely through the great corridors of the castle, avoiding the surprised gazes as much as he could.

" _Stop staring at me"_  he thought, hiding behind the King's tall body.

Loki didn't know where he was going or why Odin had told him to follow him to the castle, but he wasn't stupid to argue with someone like him. When they entered the Throne Hall, the child gaped at its splendor. Apparently, Asgard knew nothing less but perfection.

"Beloved!" a woman cried out.

Suddenly, Odin ran towards the gorgeous woman that had called, leaving the Jotun child nailed to the ground without knowing what to do. As Loki saw the King hug and kiss the woman that was likely his wife, he retreated against a corner, hoping no one would notice him.

"Father! Father, you've returned!" a boy yelled, jumping into Odin's arms.

"Did you doubt it, my son?" Odin said, playfully stroking his son's blond hair.

"Of course not! I knew you would win, Father!" the boy cried out, is gaze filled with pride. "You have to tell me everything! I want to hear it all! How many Frost Giants were there? How many did you kill?"

"In due time, Thor" Odin answered, hugging his son. "Even a king needs to rest from a battle."

Staring at the Odinson family from afar, Loki was surprised to feel a lump in his throat and a throbbing pain in his chest. It hurt watching Odin with his family and he immediately disliked his blond son, Thor. It felt like he had been immediately put aside the moment Odin saw his wife and son, and he cursed himself feeling like that.

The King of Asgard had been kind to him, and that was all. Loki was a fool to expect more or feel jealous of that stunning family for having everything he ever wanted. Life was unfair; he should have known that by now.

When Thor moved away from his father, his blue eyes widened as he noticed the small Jotun leaning against the wall.

"Father... A Jotun!" Thor cried out, glaring at the blue boy. "There's a Jotun in here!"

Loki cringed as he felt the entire room staring at him. Why did that damn boy speak so loud?

Odin sighed and placed a warm hand on Thor's shoulder. "I know, Thor. I was the one who brought him here."

Both Frigga and Thor stared at the King in bewilderment. Whereas Frigga had the decency to remain silent and wait for an explanation, Thor was too blunt to even think of that.

"You brought a  _ **Jotun?**_  Why? Why did you do that, Father?"

Odin looked at his wife and nodded, prompting Frigga to go to her son. "Thor, be polite. Let your father talk."

Thor opened his mouth, but his mother's stare silenced him. Meanwhile, Odin looked at Loki and stretched his hand.

"Come here, child" Odin said and, seeing no other choice, Loki started walking towards them, each step feeling like a mile. He covered his body with the red robe as much as he could so he wouldn't feel so ugly compared to their beauty.

When he finally reached them, he avoided looking at Thor or the Queen, focusing on Odin's single blue eye. The All-Father smiled gently and placed his other hand on the Jotun's shoulder, while grabbing Thor the same way, forcing the two children to look at each other.

"Thor, this is Loki. He is King Laufey's son, who I've killed in honorable battle" Odin explained, his eye going from Thor's face to Loki's.

Thor's eyes got even wider. "You've killed Laufey?"

"Aye, he was a worthy opponent. I brought Loki with me because he's going to stay with us from now on" Odin went on, his hand grasping Loki's shoulder harder, his voice more serious than ever as he was about to make an announcement that would change all their lives forever. "I, Odin Borson, All-Father, have decided to take this child into our family as my son."

It felt as if all sound had vanished from the room, as everyone held their breath in surprise. No one dared to make a sound, even as Odin's words finally began to sink in.

Loki felt his heart beat furiously against his small chest and he wonder if he had heard him right. The All-Father, King of the Aesir, had just announced that he was going to adopt the son of Laufey! It was unthinkable!

"What? But Father… is a  _ **Jotun**_ **!** " Thor pointed out, completely baffled.

"I am perfectly aware of what he is, Thor" Odin said sternly, making it absolutely clear that he had made his decision and leaving no room for discussions. "Send a message to Idunn and tell her to bring her golden apples. We will proceed with the transition as soon as she is ready."

Loki wondered briefly what  _"the transition"_  could possibly be and what the apples were for, but he felt too stunned by Odin's proclamation to think straight. He couldn't believe it. He was going to live here? Odin was going to raise him as a son? Was that even possible?

"But he is a Jotun" Thor went on. "A Jotun!"

Loki almost rolled his eyes. Everyone already knew he was a Jotun, so why was this boy saying it over and over? Couldn't he stop?

Odin kneeled between the two boys, grasping their shoulders. "As for this moment, you two are brothers. I expect you to behave as such."

Thor and Loki faces were matching expressions of disbelief. In their minds, they were both thinking the same thing as well: they would never be brothers, not in a million years.

" _This Jotun is no brother of mine!"_  Thor thought.

" _This idiot is no brother of mine!"_  Loki thought.

The moment Odin stood up to face his wife, the two children glared at each other and pouted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like it was mentioned, Loki is around five years old and Thor is seven. Basically, and despite Loki being very precocious, they're both little kids and both can be brats in their own way.
> 
> Thor was raised hearing tales about killing Jotuns, obviously discovering that one of them is gonna be his new brother was a shock. Loki has conflicted emotions since he came from an abusive family, but the adoption isn't going to be easy for him either since he's the outsider.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	3. The Jotun in the Tower

They gave Loki a huge bedroom, with a large bed, a sumptuous restroom and expensive clothing. The guards and the attendants had been polite, along with the rest of the court. But they hated him. Loki could see the distrust and aversion hidden behind their soft words and smiles.

Loki's chamber was in a tower with no other rooms and two guards on the front door to protect him from any assailant. He had been told that was just temporary until the ceremony in which he would become an official member of the Odinson family, but they didn't explain what that ceremony was.

No one in Asgard approved Odin's decision to adopt him. They would never accept it, despite what the All-Father had said.

"My people may seem shaken and unwelcoming for a while, Loki." Odin told when he showed him his new chambers. "It will change. They will grow into loving you, as long as we're willing to love them."

The boy thought if the All-Father was trying to convince him or himself. Maybe he was just lying.

The one person who was voicing his true feelings about Loki was Thor, Odin's pride and joy and passionate Jotun hater. The stupid blond had moaned about Loki nonstop with the same arguments.

" _He's a Jotun."_

" _I don't want him to be my brother."_

" _He's a Jotun."_

" _He doesn't look like us."_

" _He's a Jotun."_

" _He's the son of Asgard's enemy."_

" _He's a Jotun."_

It took every bit of Loki's patience to ignore him, but the dumb blondie kept talking to Odin like he wasn't even there. He hated him! Hated him! Hated him! And he hated all those Asgardian idiots who kept looking at him like he was trash! Damn them all! He didn't need them! He didn't need anybody!

All alone in his new bedroom, Loki took his clothes until he was only dressed with a simple tunic, opened the big window and sat by it. He couldn't stand the heat and the breeze of the night felt really good against his skin. He really couldn't understand how these people could stand the heat. Frost Giants were repelled by heat and fire, it was their greatest weakness. It was said that if a Jotun got burned, he would melt like ice until he disappeared.

As he stared at the torch on his room, Loki moved quickly and put down the fire. Now the only light came from the full moon and the stars above him.

 _I don't belong here,_ Loki thought, sitting by the open window and listening to the people talking outside. _I should have run. I should have stayed in Jotunheim. I don't want to be here. They will kill me sooner or later and I... I have nowhere else to run._

In the privacy of his room, the Jotun child buried his face in his knees and cried silently. 

* * *

Thor was expecting to find the Jotun eating breakfast with his parents. He wasn't going to give up until his father realized his mistake and took him back to Jotunheim, so he burst into the dining hall with a whole speech prepared. However, the Jotun wasn't there.

Odin explained that Loki didn't feel comfortable with the stares, so he had asked to eat in his chambers. The king agreed for now, but said he was going to eat with them soon. Thor almost felt disappointed. He was ready to teach that intruder a lesson, but the dumb Jotun didn't leave his bedroom all day. He was probably afraid of them, like a coward.

"I heard the rumors," one of the boys in his sword training said.

"What rumors?"

"Your father brought a baby Jotun to be your pet. That's what everyone is saying."

The blond prince pouted and swung his sword. "He's not my pet. Why would I want a Jotun pet?"

"Oh…"

Thor and Dagur, the boy's name, continued sword fighting for a while until Dagur went on.

"Then… is the other story true?" the red-head boy asked. "That the All-Father brought the Jotun to adopt him?"

"Father doesn't know what he is doing," Thor cried out in anger.

Dagur gaped, completely baffled. Around them, more boys had stopped their sparring and listened to the story they had heard their parents argue about.

"You mean it is true?" Dagur asked. "Your father adopted a Jotun?"

"Yes… unfortunately," Thor mumbled. "But he'll come around! That Jotun is going back to Jotunheim, trust me!"

"So is it here? In Asgard?" another voice asked.

Thor recognized Kerr's bulky figure walking towards him with a solemn expression in his eyes. It took him a few seconds to remember that Kerr's father never returned from Jotunheim because he had died in battle.

"Yes," Thor answered. "Father gave him a chamber and everything."

Thor admired and envied Kerr's strength, who Hogun the Grim had called the fiercest student in his generation. The young prince was determined to beat him in battle and spend time with him and his friends, but they were all around thirteen years old and never talked to the little kids, not even the son of Odin. Until now.

"So is everything true?" Kerr asked. "The Jotun is Laufey's son?"

"Yes," Thor answered.

All the boys seemed very surprised and excited by this. All of them had heard about the battles against the Frost Giants, but they had never seen one, let alone their leader's offspring.

"He's on that tower," the blond point out to his excited classmates. "He doesn't look very powerful. Actually, Loki is really small."

"What is a  _Loki_?" another boy asked.

"It's his name."

Kerr's eyes were fixed on the tower and though his expression was calm, his gazed was filled with hatred just imagining that the cub of the monster that killed his father was so close.

"Can you take us there, Thor?" Kerr asked. "Can you show us the Jotun?"

Thor blinked with surprise, but soon all the other boys were asking him to let them see the Jotun. The prince didn't take long to tell them yes. It wasn't everyday that they could see a real Frost Giant and, even if Loki was small, Thor knew they would be excited. Besides, they were his friends, or potential friends like Kerr, and all they wanted was to see him. What was the harm in that?


	4. Punishment

Loki was bored. He didn't have anything to do in his solitary tower, so he slept by the window most of the day. Two attendants had brought him his breakfast and his lunch and he left the empty trails outside his door.

He had been so hungry that he made a huge mess with the food. When he finished, he honestly felt ashamed for behaving like a barbarian, so he cleaned everything and swore to himself that he was going to become more civilized. He didn't want to give the Asgardians any more reasons to look down on him.

Loki didn't mind being alone. He was used to it and he liked it. The problem was that he didn't feel comfortable enough to leave the tower and explore the city. He hated the people's stares and he was sure that if they caught him alone they would kill him on the spot.

No. He was safe in his tower. That's what he was thinking when he heard footsteps and raised voices from the stairs.

Loki was about to close his door with the key, but it swung open before he could reach it. To his horror, there were several kids staring at him. They seemed surprised at first, but then they started laughing and pointing.

"Is that it? That's the Jotun?"

"It looks like a blue midget!"

"Hel! It's really ugly! Look at its dumb face!"

Loki backed up until his back slammed against the wall. The boys took this opportunity to walk into his room and surround the terrified Jotun. Most of them wanted to see him and taunt him, while others, like Kerr, had murder in their eyes.

"Is it a male or a female? I heard the females are the ugliest!"

"Then it's definitely a female! A Jotun bitch" Kerr said, grabbing Loki's tunic. "Let's check it out!"

Loki kicked and scratched, but Kerr was a lot bigger and stronger, so he slammed the Jotun against the ground and ripped off his tunic, leaving the child completely naked.

"Look! It's a male… barely! They're so small! My baby brother's are bigger!" another boy scorned, as his peers laughed at the humiliated Jotun.

Loki tried to fight back, but Kerr tossed him against the wall and he skinned his head. His blood ran down his face and mixed with his tears of shame and anger as he started sobbing.

"Kerr, that's enough! You're hurting him! You said you only wanted to see him."

Loki saw Thor pushing the other boys to get closer and he finally understood. Thor had brought them there to see  _"the Jotun",_  like he was some sort of animal in display.

Thor felt a shiver down his spine. It had been his fault. He had led the boys to his room, but the blond never thought they would hurt him or humiliate him like this.

"Kerr, stop!" Thor yelled, trying to reach the older boy. "Stop, this isn't right!"

"Since when battles against Jotuns are right? They're ice monsters!" Kerr yelled back, kicking Loki in his ribs.

Thor was expecting to hear a low growl from the Jotun, but he heard a high-pitched cry instead. It wasn't a growl at all; it was a very human cry… like a little kid's cry of pain.

"Look! A toilet! I bet he thinks it's to drink from it!" Dugar said, joining the fun.

Kerr grabbed Loki's neck and pulled him towards the toilet. In a moment of realization, Thor didn't see a bunch of Asgardian boys defending their honor against a Frost Giant. He saw bullies beating up a little kid.

"Stop! I told you to stop!" Thor yelled.

"What is going on in here?"

The two guards had come when they heard the commotion, prompting the boys to flee. Kerr dropped Loki on the ground and ran out of the room. The guards didn't try to stop them, focusing instead on the blood on the floor and Loki's trembling, bruised and naked body on the floor.

"Call the healers. He's been hurt" Thor ordered the guards.

The two men bowed to their prince and left the room without a word, leaving the children alone. Loki winced the pain as he stood up, trying to cover himself as much as he could.

"Loki…"

The moment the Thor's blue eyes crossed with the Frost Giant's red ones, Loki glared at him with pure hatred, his tears and blood still running down his face as he closed the restroom's door with a bang.

Thor remained in the middle of the room, staring at the blood on the wall and the ground and Loki's ruined tunic. After what seemed like an eternity, he heard the unmistakable cries of a small child coming from the restroom.

* * *

"I cannot believe you did such a thing, Thor" Odin said. "What were you thinking?"

Thor looked down. After the healers arrived, Odin showed up and dragged Thor out of the tower into the Throne Hall. There was no one else in the room, except him, his father and his mother. It was a family meeting, or rather a  _Thor-scolding_  meeting.

"I never meant to get him hurt" the blond explained. "My friends just wanted to see him."

"And you think that is right?" Odin went on angrily. "Showing Loki like you'd show a new horse?"

"They were curious. They never saw a Jotun before!"

"So being a Jotun justifies humiliating your brother?"

Thor sulked. "He's not my brother!"

"He is now. He may not be of our blood, but he is my son as much as you are" Odin said. "What those boys did to him was unforgivable and they need to be punished. Tell me their names."

"No!" Thor cried out. "I'm not going to betray my friends."

Odin stood up, his cheeks red with anger. "So you are taking their side? You approve what they did to Loki?"

Thor gulped and felt his own cheeks blush with shame. "Of course not… What they did was wrong, but I'm sure they didn't mean to hurt him. They got carried away and made a mistake."

Odin's eye was fixed on his son for a few moments until he sigh and sat at his throne again. "I am very disappointed, Thor. What bothers me the most is that you don't even understand why."

Thor blinked, confused with his father's words. But before he could ask what he meant, the All-Father faced him again.

"Since you won't tell me the other boy's names, you shall be punished on their behalf" Odin said. "First, you will go to Loki and you will apologize. Also, from now on, you two will study together every day after your sword lessons, in his bedroom."

"What? Study with him?" Thor cried out. He would rather be spanked than being forced to study, let alone with the Jotun boy. "He hates me! How can we study together? He doesn't even know how to read."

Odin's expression was unreadable. "He might be smarter than you think. If he doesn't understand, you will be responsible for teaching him. You'll be his new guide in the Asgardian culture until the ceremony."

"WHAT? Father…!"

"That's an order, Thor!" Odin yelled. "I won't hear another word about it."

After the blond prince left the hall, fuming, Frigga turned to her husband.

"Do you think that is wise? Forcing Thor to be with Loki?" the Queen asked. "They might kill each other."

"Sometimes the strongest bonds start with a fight" Odin said. "If it were up to Thor, he would avoid Loki all his life and spend all his time with his friends. As for Loki, he must hate everyone in Asgard right now. They need to know each other if they are going to become siblings."

Frigga didn't feel very sure of her husband's idea. She still felt wary about his decision to raise the Jotun child and, she had to admit, she wasn't sure she could love the boy as his mother either. It had been easy with Thor, because he was a baby when Odin brought him to her. But Loki was another story, all she could feel was pity.

"Why did you order Thor to explain our culture?" Frigga went on. "He barely knows it. The only subject he remembers is the battles in our History. He won't be able to teach Loki anything else."

Odin actually smiled at this. "Who knows? I have got a feeling that Loki might teach Thor a few things."

Odin could easily find out who were the boys that had hurt his new son, but he decided to let things go this way. Frigga could only hope he was doing the right thing.

* * *

The next day, Thor dragged himself to Loki's tower with the biggest sulk in the Nine Realms.

His friends had been very happy because he didn't sell them out and even Kerr and his group had offered to let the prince train with them. However, Thor refused. His respect for the older boy had been severely crushed after he saw him being so cruel to Loki. Not that he liked the Jotun or anything, he just felt disappointed to see him beat up someone who was a lot weaker than him.

A true warrior wouldn't do that. It wasn't right.

Kerr didn't look pleased with Thor and left with a strange look on his face. Thor knew that he was still grieving for his father, so he tried to forgive him. He wasn't so sure about Loki though.

How was he going to apologize to him? Did Jotuns even speak their language? And how in Hel was he going to study with him? His father was growing crazy!

With several books under his arm, Thor sighed and knocked on Loki's door.

"Loki? It's me… Thor" the blond said, but there was no answer. "I'm coming in."

At first, Thor didn't see anyone in the bedroom and wondered if the Jotun boy had fled during the night. After closing the heavy door and entering the room, he found Loki sitting by the open window, glaring furiously at him. There were bandages on his head and his arms, along with bruises on his neck.

"There you are. Ah…" Thor put the books on the bed and sat in front of the younger boy, wishing to get this over with. "I… ah… I came here to apologize… for yesterday" Thor spoke slowly, hoping the Jotun could understand him. "My friends didn't mean to hurt you. They never saw a Jotun before… I am sorry."

The Jotun's glare got even angrier and he looked deep into Thor's eyes. Obviously he hadn't understood his apology, Thor thought.

"You are a Jotun and they got carried away" Thor went on. "I tried to stop them, but…"

"No you didn't! You stood there and watched them beating me up!" Loki suddenly cried out. "You're not even sorry! You're just here because the All-Father told you to and… Why are you staring at me like that?"

Thor's eyes got so wide that they seemed to be about to burst out of his head.

"You talked!" the blond yelled, his jaw dropped in complete disbelief. "You can talk!"

Loki's surprised expression was quickly replaced by anger and indignation. "Of course I can talk! What did you think I do? Growl?"

Thor looked rather embarrassed. "Well… actually, yes."

"Well, I don't. I can understand everything you say, so stop talking to me like I'm retarded!"

"Alright… Ah… I'm sorry, Loki" Thor mumbled, still in awe.

"Fine, now leave!"

"Huh? You can't tell me to leave!" Thor cried out, glaring back at the younger boy.

"Yes, I can. This is my room."

"I'm a prince, so you can't tell me what to do!"

"I'm a prince too, so I can" Loki yelled back.

"But I'm older. You have to do as I say!" Thor screamed even louder, standing up and looking down on the Jotun.

"No, I don't! I want you to go way! I hate you!"

"I hate you too!"

"I hate you more!" Loki tried to stand you too quickly and felt a stab of pain on his chest due to his bruised chest.

Thor's angry face vanished as he saw the other boy wincing with pain and sitting down with tears in his eyes.

"Are you alright?" the blond asked.

"Just go away" Loki whimpered, curling against the wall. "Go away and leave me alone!"

Thor was about to leave the room, but stopped before reaching the door. Loki was wounded because of him; he had to right to be angry.

"Father told me to apologize, but I am truly sorry" Thor said, moving towards Loki again and sitting beside him. "I knew what Kerr was doing was wrong and should have stopped him."

Loki didn't answer. Instead, he pulled his knees to his chest and buried his face in them. His wounds would heal in time, but the way those boys had humiliated him was going to hurt him for a long time.

"They called me an  _it,_ like I was an animal" Loki whimpered, without lifting his head. "They took my clothes. They made fun of me… I hate them and I hate you… I don't want to be here anymore."

Thor genuinely felt bad. Loki's words made him feel guiltier than his father's had. He realized now that he had thought of him as simply "the Jotun" and not a person, that's why he didn't think that showing him to his friends was a bad idea. He didn't think about what Loki would feel at all.

Thor did something horrible and he knew he had to make things right.

"It'll get better in time. Trust me, everybody is going to forget this" the blond said.

Since Loki still wouldn't look at him, Thor decided to pick up the books.

"Father said that you and I are going to study together every day until sunset" he explained. "He told me to explain Asgard to you, but I'm not very good at it. I guess he is forcing us to study together because I can finish a book alone. They say I get distracted because I would rather spar with my friends."

Loki finally lifted his head and looked at the books that Thor had brought. Slowly, he picked one and stared at the pretty cover, filled with colors. He knew how to read, but he had never been allowed to touch a book before.

"If you hate this, then why don't you leave?" the Jotun child mumbled with a pout. "You can go and spar with your friend, Kerr."

Thor looked angry. "The guards were ordered to keep me here. And Kerr is not my friend."

"He was your friend yesterday."

"He wasn't my friend; I just wanted him to be. I don't anymore."

Loki stared at Thor's face, expecting some trick, but the blond looked truly angry. He was too simple to lie about that.

"What is the chapter?" Loki asked.

"What?"

"The chapter we need to read today" the younger boy explained. "It's almost sun-set and don't want to get into trouble."

"Chapter thirty-six" Thor said, watching Loki trying to find the right page. It was so strange to see a Jotun like this, talking like he did, with a child's voice, and reading a book quietly. It was against everything Thor had heard about the Frost Giants, or maybe Loki was just different.

"Aren't you going to read?" Loki asked.

"Yes… Yes, I am."

Later that night, when his father asked him about his studies, Thor was able to answer almost all of his questions, much to the boy's surprise and Odin's delight.

"Don't forget to thank your brother tomorrow" his father told him.

Thor didn't answer. He couldn't think of Loki as his brother and probably he never would, but he had to admit that he wasn't as horrible as he had imagined.

 


	5. Two Boys

Every day, the Crowned Prince Thor Odinson would walk towards what he claimed to be the torture tower to study. Every day until sunset, he would enter Loki's room with his books, both boys would glare at each other and then read the pages ordered by Thor's tutors.

Thor never remained on one place for more than a few minutes. In the last few days, he had inspected every corner of Loki's room, tried to escape earlier through the guards and even consider jumping through the window and try to land on the next roof. All that had been met with an apathetic look by the younger boy.

"I am bored," Thor moaned.

"I know. You already said that," Loki answered without taking his eyes of his book. "Twice."

"Then I am even more bored! I don't want to be stuck in this damn tower anymore" the blond tossed his book to the bed with a grimace and approached the open window. The sky was clean and blue, while the sun shone brightly over Asgard's golden buildings. It was a glorious day for training, yet Thor was forced to stay inside with those useless books.

On the other end, Loki seemed completely satisfied with his studies. Even though he didn't have to report to the Mages and Scholars like the prince did, Loki devoured all the knowledge he found in those books like a thirsty man on a water fountain. A thirst for knowledge Odin claimed his elder son unfortunately lacked.

Suddenly, Loki frowned at the book, his red eyes filled with frustration as he read the same paragraph over and over.

"What?" the blond asked.

"Nothing," the younger boy answered.

"Then why are you glaring at the book?"

"I'm not! It's just… this sentence does not make any sense."

Thor walked through the open books and glanced at page, before Loki angrily pulled the book against his chest.

"Hey! I just want to look!"

Loki pouted for a few seconds before he finally relented. He never allowed himself to forget that he was an unwanted stranger in the land of his people's enemies. Odin's word could easily change if his people or his son complained enough about the Jotun. Maybe that was the reason Odin didn't visit him anymore. He probably didn't want to get too attached to someone he would need to put to death.

Thor stared at the text for a few seconds and looked at Loki again. "What do you mean? It's a story about Alfheim. There is nothing complicated about it."

The Jotun's cheeks would have blushed if he had that ability. "I know that. I just don't understand some of the words."

Thor blinked, genuinely surprised. "You mean… you do not know all the words."

"I never learned them all," the younger boy answered defensively. "I never had tutors to teach me. I learned from watching Father's mages."

"Really? Laufey did not you force to study? You were lucky." Thor said.

Loki remembered the dark room where Laufey tossed him every day, yelling to never allow anyone to see him. He remembered the death threats, the beatings, the shame…

"You know nothing, Odinson." Loki whispered, burying his head in the book once again.

Thor's smile vanished. "Did I offend you?"

Loki didn't raise his eyes from the book. He couldn't wait until sunset so that he could be alone again and away from this big-headed oaf.

"I'm sorry, Loki."

In awe, Loki finally stared back at Thor. He was expecting scorn or false courtesy. Instead, he faced the prince's apologetic blue eyes and was completely taken aback. Since he didn't know how to respond, the blue skinned boy looked down and remained silent.

"Do you miss him? Your father?"

Loki tensed. He needed to be very careful about his past and his real feelings towards his father or Odin was going to find out about his act.

"Father… was all I had," he answered slowly, avoiding those bright eyes. It was a trick. It had to be. Why would Thor suddenly start to treat him nicely if not to lure him into a trap?

"Here! Let me help," Thor said, sitting next to Loki. "Tell me what words you don't understand."

"What? Why?"

"So you can read the entire book, of course. Now, tell which ones."

Shocked and suspicious, Loki pointed the words he didn't know one by one as the older boy explained them with some sort of strange pride. At first, Loki thought that the blond was making fun of him, but he seemed somewhat happy to be able to teach the younger boy.

"This one means  _green_ " Thor explained. "It says " _the green plains of the elf realm shine like emeralds underneath the sun_ "."

"Green?"

"Yes, green. The color."

Loki's expression remained confused so Thor reached out for another book. After a searching for a few seconds, the older boy placed the open book on Loki's lap. It was a painting of the plains in Alfheim where the light elves danced amidst the flowers and trees.

Loki's little fingers touched the painting slowly and carefully, his red eyes wide with wonder. "Is this… green?"

"The grass? Yes, it's green. You never saw plants?"

"There are no plants in Jotunheim," Loki said, still staring at the painting. "There is only snow, ice and rocks… white, blue, black… and red. When we bleed, there's red."

Thor nodded and stared at the boy who was so much different from anyone he knew. "What did you do in Jotunheim?"

The young Jotun frowned. "What do you mean?"

"What games did you play there?" Thor went on. "You know… with your friends."

Loki's lip trembled and he closed the painting. "I don't… have friends. I stayed inside with Father."

Thor stared at him, his blue eyes surprised and confused. "All the time? You did not leave?"

Loki knew he was talking too much. He had learned that from Laufey. Revealing too much of himself was always a mistake because people wouldn't hesitate to use it against him.

"I don't want to talk about it anymore, Odinson," Loki said, picking the book they were supposed to be reading.

"But…?"

"Please."

Thor closed his mouth and picked up his own book. "Alright." However, just a few seconds later, the blond was already distracted and touching Loki's arms.

"What are you  _doing_?" Loki cried out, moving away from Thor's prying hands.

"Your skin is cold," the older boy said.

Loki rolled his eyes. "I am a Jotun. Of course it is cold."

"You mean you cannot get warm?" Thor insisted. He really wasn't going to study today, was he?

"Yes. That is why we are called  _Frost Giants_. Our skin is cold because Jotunheim is cold. It is so to protect us. The older Jotuns can burn the enemies' skin with their touch."

"Oh! I heard about that, the frostbite," Thor exclaimed excitedly. "Are you always cold? Do you dislike the heat? Is that why you never wear more than a tunic?"

Loki nodded, rubbing his bare arms uncomfortably. "We should be studying…"

"I heard Jotuns could create ice swords over their hands," Thor continued excitedly. "Is that also true?"

Loki sighed. He couldn't study like this and Thor wasn't going to leave him alone any time soon. "Yes."

"Wow! Can you do that too? Can you show me?"

"No!"

"Oh, come on! I just wish to see it."

"No. I can't… I can't do it," Loki felt the same shame he always carried on Jotunheim. He felt pathetic and weak.

"Why can't you do it?"

 _Because I am an embarrassment to my entire race that should have died upon birth instead of burdening my father and king with my accursed existence_ , Loki thought. "I am a weak Jotun. There are a lot of things I cannot do."

"What do you mean?" Thor asked.

"Are you blind? I am a runt, Odinson," Loki answered bitterly. "I am too small, too weak… I was born wrong."

This seemed to shut up the blond prince, but Loki regretted his outburst. Once again, he was revealing too much about himself and losing his patience with Thor could be a deadly mistake.

However, the blond didn't look angry with his words. Instead, he stared deeply at the younger boy from head to toe.

"You don't look wrong to me," the older boy said softly.

Loki barely had time to register what Thor had said before one of the guards knocked on the door and entered the room.

"Prince Thor, it is time. Your parents wait you for dinner."

Thor stood up, stretched up and started to pick up the books except the one on Loki's hands.

"Keep that one, Loki. You must be bored in here," the prince said, leaving the room followed shortly by the guard.

Finally alone, Loki stared at the book, Thor's words echoing on his head. Suddenly, the room felt too quiet.

* * *

"Father? Is Loki a runt?"

Odin stopped eating and frowned at his first-born. "That is very insulting, Thor. You should not call Loki that."

"I did not, Father. He said so himself," the boy explained, putting down his glass. "He said he is a weak Jotun and that he was born wrong… What does that mean?"

Odin closed his eyes and ate his stew before answering. "Loki is definitely shorter and weaker than most Jotuns his age. He looks perfectly normal for an Aesir or a Midgardian, but not his own kind. Laufey wouldn't have been happy with a frail heir."

"And his mother?" Frigga asked.

"Farbauti? I heard she came from a long line of strong warriors, which made her the perfect candidate to mother Laufey's children. Unfortunately, Loki was her first child and Laufey did not tolerate such an affront to his bloodline. I believed she was punished and banished."

Thor played with his food, remembering his conversation with Loki. "Do you think they are going to want him back, Father?"

"No. Most Jotuns didn't even know about Loki's existence. Why do you ask, Thor?"

"Humm, just curious."

Odin couldn't help but smile. "Do you think I should send Loki back to Jotunheim?"

Thor's blue eyes widened as he stared at his father. "Why would you send him back  _now_?"

"You don't want him to go back? When he arrived, I remember you practically begged me to throw him over the Bifrost."

"That… that was before I knew him," Thor blushed, remembering his cruelness. "He is not so bad. Too studious and he never does what I tell him, but he is not… horrible. I think we should keep him here. I am not saying he is going to be my brother, I just think he should stay. I taught him today."

"You have?" Frigga asked with a warm smile. "What did you teach him?"

Unconsciously, Thor felt himself swell with pride. "He didn't know all the words, so I taught him. He didn't know the color green either. He said there are no plants on Jotunheim, so I showed him a picture of the elves' plains."

Odin nodded as he heard his son talk. Thor probably didn't realize it, but his joy and sudden feelings of protection towards Loki were similar to the ones of an older sibling trying to teach the younger.

"So… Is Idunn really coming with her apples?" the boy asked.

"Yes. She will come to Asgard as soon as the Golden Apples ripen."

In her seat, Frigga moved uncomfortably. If Idunn had already complied, that meant they really were going through with the ceremony. Thor was too young and had never seen someone who wasn't an Aesir eat the Golden Apples, though he knew that they could be used to turn anyone into one of them. What he didn't know yet was that there was a huge risk. If Loki ate one, it would either transform him into a real Aesir or kill him. It all depended on his body's strength.

Frigga smiled at her son and her husband, although her mind wandered to the little boy she barely saw and who was dinning alone on that tower, unaware of his fate.

It was about time she paid him a visit as well.


End file.
